Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30: Curriculum Guidelines

Energy and Mines 10, 20, 30 Curriculum Guide Main Menu

Module 17: Coal - Mining Methods, Production and Uses (Optional )

Suggested time: 5-8 hours

Level: Introductory

Prerequisite: None

Module Overview
Students will become familiar with the various methods of mining coal, with emphasis on the methods used in Saskatchewan, the uses of coal and the changes in mining techniques through the decades. This module is assigned no prerequisites to facilitate its use in survey courses. However, it should be preceded by Module 16 in a pure course.

Foundational Objectives

To become familiar with the history of Saskatchewan's resource industries.

To become familiar with the nature and components of Saskatchewan's major underground resources and how they are extracted and purified through refining and processing.

To become familiar with the nature, location and operation of the distribution systems through which Saskatchewan energy and mineral resources are transported.

To become familiar with the local and global market for Saskatchewan energy and mineral resources and the immediate and ultimate uses of those resources.

Common Essential Learnings Foundational Objectives

To conduct research using the Internet and other print and non-print resources. (TL)

To use correct terminology in discussing coal mining, processing and uses. (COM)

Learning Objectives

Notes

17.1
To identify and compare the different methods used in coal mining.

Students should be able to describe strip (surface) mining, open pit mining and underground mining (including the room and pillar concept).

Students should understand the reasons for using a particular method. They should be familiar with mining terms such as dragline, hauler, stockpile, coal seam, overburden, spoil pile, mule, longwall mining, room and pillar mining, drift, slope, shaft, continuous miner, short wall and conventional mining.

Students could construct or draw models of each type of mine.

Students should view the video “Coal: Fueling the Future ” produced by the Coal Association of Canada.

Students could continue to add to the glossaries they began in Module 16.

17.2
To describe methods of distribution of coal, beginning at the mine site.

Students should describe the transportation of coal from the coal seam to the surface to the stockpile in underground mines and compare this with the transportation from open pit and surface mines. Students should become familiar with and understand, the terminology..

17.3
To examine the history of coal mining in Saskatchewan.

Students can research this topic by accessing coal company websites looking for current and historical information about Saskatchewan coal mining. They could compare the current mining procedures with those of the past.

17.4
To understand the importance of reclamation as part of the mining process.

This Learning Objective may be deferred to, or combined with, Module 18, if the teacher chooses.

Students could access photos of past and present Saskatchewan mine sites to discover the significant part reclamation plays in modern mining. Some questions they might try to answer include the following:

What does "reclamation" mean?
Why is it done?
How is it monitored?
What is the responsibility of the mining company?
What guarantees are in place to insure the mining company lives up to its reclamation responsibilities?

Students can contact Saskatchewan Energy and Mines to access up-to-date regulations.

17.5
To understand the significance of coal in the production of electricity in Saskatchewan and elsewhere.

Students could construct graphs or other visual representations of the role of coal in electrical generation in Canada and worldwide.

Students could take a field trip to a major power station in southern Saskatchewan. In any case, students should be familiar with the steps involved in power production, from the stockpiling of coal through to the transmission of electricity from the substation to the community and to industry. Information and charts are available from SaskPower upon request and at their website.

17.6
To be familiar with the many uses of coal.

Students could create a list of the uses of coal and the many household and industrial products that use coal either directly, or indirectly, through coal by-products.

Students could access websites listed in the bibliography. An interesting project could be to research and list all the products in the home that contain a coal by-product.

Learning Objectives	Notes
17.1 To identify and compare the different methods used in coal mining.	Students should be able to describe strip (surface) mining, open pit mining and underground mining (including the room and pillar concept). Students should understand the reasons for using a particular method. They should be familiar with mining terms such as dragline, hauler, stockpile, coal seam, overburden, spoil pile, mule, longwall mining, room and pillar mining, drift, slope, shaft, continuous miner, short wall and conventional mining. Students could construct or draw models of each type of mine. Students should view the video “Coal: Fueling the Future ” produced by the Coal Association of Canada. Students could continue to add to the glossaries they began in Module 16.
17.2 To describe methods of distribution of coal, beginning at the mine site.	Students should describe the transportation of coal from the coal seam to the surface to the stockpile in underground mines and compare this with the transportation from open pit and surface mines. Students should become familiar with and understand, the terminology..
17.3 To examine the history of coal mining in Saskatchewan.	Students can research this topic by accessing coal company websites looking for current and historical information about Saskatchewan coal mining. They could compare the current mining procedures with those of the past.
17.4 To understand the importance of reclamation as part of the mining process.	This Learning Objective may be deferred to, or combined with, Module 18, if the teacher chooses. Students could access photos of past and present Saskatchewan mine sites to discover the significant part reclamation plays in modern mining. Some questions they might try to answer include the following: What does "reclamation" mean? Why is it done? How is it monitored? What is the responsibility of the mining company? What guarantees are in place to insure the mining company lives up to its reclamation responsibilities? Students can contact Saskatchewan Energy and Mines to access up-to-date regulations.
17.5 To understand the significance of coal in the production of electricity in Saskatchewan and elsewhere.	Students could construct graphs or other visual representations of the role of coal in electrical generation in Canada and worldwide. Students could take a field trip to a major power station in southern Saskatchewan. In any case, students should be familiar with the steps involved in power production, from the stockpiling of coal through to the transmission of electricity from the substation to the community and to industry. Information and charts are available from SaskPower upon request and at their website.
17.6 To be familiar with the many uses of coal.	Students could create a list of the uses of coal and the many household and industrial products that use coal either directly, or indirectly, through coal by-products. Students could access websites listed in the bibliography. An interesting project could be to research and list all the products in the home that contain a coal by-product.